Can package



J. A. JONES CAN PACKAGE Filed Jan. 29, 1960 cZMkzwzarM v a? M UnitedStates Patent l 3,016,133 CAN PACKAGE John Alexander Jones, 6312Fair-field Drive, Flour-town, Pa. Filed Jan. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 5,462 4Claims. (Cl. 206-47) The present invention relates to packages and hasparticular application to packages for use with cans of twocycle engineoil which is normally mixed in predetermined relation with the gasolineto be poured into the tank of the engine.

Motor oil of this character is normally packaged in rectangular canshaving a pouring spout or neck adjacent one end in the top wall of thecan. Markings have been applied to cans of this type to indicate theangle at which the can should be held in order to dispense the desiredquantity of oil. While such a procedure may be satisfactory for use ondry land and when the can is new, it is not satisfactory when in a smallboat, or when the can is sufficiently dirty to obscure the markingsthereon. It has been the practice of most people to carry along aseparate measuring receptacle which is able to receive the necessaryamount of oil for pouring into the gas tank of the engine. Frequently,the measuring receptacle is lost or misplaced and it is thereforenecessary to revert to the unsatisfactory method used previously forroughly measuring the oil.

With the foregoing in mind, the present invention provides a package forrectangular cans which forms a pocket for receiving a measuringreceptacle or the like.

More specifically, the present invention provides a package of a statedtype which is highly economical to produce and assemble, but which isfully effective in operation.

All of the objects of the present invention are more fully set forthhereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a package made in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 with the package opened and with twocontainers shown in broken lines to more clearly illustrate theconstruction and assembly thereof;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on lines 6-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a detached view in elevation of the measuring receptacle andfunnel embodied in the package.

Referring to the drawings, the can package comprises four rectangularcontainers 11 of any suitable height having a length greater than thewidth. As shown, each container has front and rear walls 12 and 13,respectively, and side walls 14 and 15. A top wall is provided at 16which has adjacent the side wall 14 a pouring spout 17 and cap 18. Fourof the containers 11 are arranged'in a square with the front wall 12 ofone container coplanar with and contiguous to the side wall 14 of theadjacent container so that the square has an overall dimension in eachdi- 3,016,133 Patented Jan. 9, 1962 'ice within the receptacle when thelevel of the oil is coincident with the respective indexes 22. A funnel23 may also be included in the pocket to facilitate pouring of thecontents from the receptacle into the gas tank or other reservoir inwhich the gas is to be mixed with the oil. Preferably, the funnelcomprises a neck portion 24 merging into a conical body portion 25having a cylindrical skirt 26 which telescopically engages over the topof the measuring receptacle 21. When engaged on the receptacle 21, theassembly of the receptacle and funnel preferably has a heightcorresponding to the height of the containers 11 to limit verticaldisplacement of the measuring assembly within the assembly ofcontainers.

The assembly may be enclosed in any suitable wrapping, but I prefer touse a wrap-around sleeve 30 having a base 31, side walls 32 and 33, andcover flaps 34 and 35. The base 31 is provided with a pressed-out tongue36 adjacent each side thereof to prevent inadvertent outwarddisplacement of the containers 11 from the package. The cover flaps 34and 35 are adapted to overlap one another on top of the assembly and areheld in place by snapping over the caps 18 for the pouring spout 17. Tothis end, the under flap 35 is provided with openings 37, 37 which snapover the caps 18 adjacent the side panel 33. The top flap 34 isprovided'with a pair of apertures 38 adjacent the side panel 32 to snapover the remaining two caps 18 and apertures 39 which snap over thefirst mentioned caps above the flap 35. It is noted that the flap 35 isone half of the width of the fiap 34 and its free terminal edge isprovided with a handle portion 41 which projects upwardly through acentra1 slot 42 in the top flap 34. The overlapping relation of theflaps 34 and 35 and the snap-on engagement of the apertures with thecaps, cooperate with the tongues 36 to anchor the sleeve in placewithout the necessity for extraneous fastening means. By reason of thisconstruction, the package may be opened and closed repeatedly withoutexcessive wear or other damage to the wraparound sleeve 30.

The particular arrangement of containers 11 in the assembly, and the useof a wrap-around sleeve such as shown at 30 exposes a front wall 12 anda side wall 14 at each side of the package, thereby enabling thepurchaser to read the labels on the containers without disassembling thepackage. The side panels 32 and 33 of the wrapper 30 provideunobstructed space for additional advertising matter or instructionssince the brandidentification of the containers 11 is readily apparentfrom the front walls 12 and side walls 14 which are exposed at oppositesides of the package.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been hereinillustrated and described, it is not rection equal to the sum of thewidth and the length of the containers 11. By reason of the length beinggreater than the width, a square pocket is formed centrally within thesquare which has a dimension in each direction equal to the differencebetween the length and the width of the containers 11.

In accordance with the invention, a measuring receptacle 21 is mountedwithin the square pocket'formed by the assembled containers 11. Themeasuring receptacle 21 may have any suitable dimensions, but it ispreferred that it be circular in cross-section having a diameter equalto the width of the square pocket so that it is snugly received therein.The receptacle 21 may have suitable index markings 22 thereon toindicate the volume of oil thereto within the scope of the followingclaims:

I claim: 1. A package of four similar generally rectangular containershaving a length greater than their width, said containers being arrangedin a square with the front wall of each container coplanar with andcontiguous to a side wall of an adjacent container, said square havingin each direction a dimension equal to the sum .of the width and lengthof the rectangular containers, said containers tacle, the combinedheight of said receptacle and funnel corresponding to the height of saidcontainers, whereby said receptacle and funnel are snugly received insaid pocket.

3. A package according to claim 2 wherein said measuring receptacle iscylindrical in form having a diameter equal to the difference betweenthe length and width of said containers, said funnel comprising a neckportion merging into a conical body portion having a cylindrical skirtadapted to telescopically engage over said receptacle, said receptaclehaving index means thereon to indicate the quantity of material therein.

4. A package according to claim I wherein said wrapping means comprisesa Wrap-around sleeve exposing opposite sides of said assembly and meansto anchor said sleeve in place on said assembly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

